When a room has electrical fixtures such as electrical outlets, switches and phone jacks, it is dangerous and unsightly if the electrical components of these fixtures becomes coated with wallpaper glue during a wallpapering operation. Typically, in order to avoid this situation, the worker installing the wallpaper detaches all cover plates and uses masking tape or the like to temporarily cover any exposed electrical components. However, this procedure presents at least two specific problems.
First, as the wallpaper is applied to the wall, glue or the adhesive material may be permitted to enter the electrical junction box and, consequently, come into contact with electrical wiring disposed therein. Because most adhesives are water-based, this presents a shock hazard to the worker installing the wallpaper.
Further, after the wallpaper is applied to the wall and over the junction box, the worker installing the wallpaper does not have a definite idea as to the location of the outer periphery of the junction box. Knowing where the outer periphery of the junction box is important because an ideal cut of the wallpaper would be along the outer periphery of the junction box or just inside the outer periphery of the junction box. In this way, the cover plate will fully cover the cut in the wallpaper because cover plates typically extend beyond the junction box on all sides by one quarter inch or one half inch. By not knowing where the outer periphery of the junction box is, the worker installing the wallpaper is forced to guess and an improper cut may extend beyond the reach of the cover plate thereby exposing a slit or cut in the wallpaper.
Along these same lines, by not knowing where the outer periphery of the junction box is, the worker installing the wallpaper is also unaware of the location of the electrical wiring disposed in the junction box. Consequently, by not knowing where the electrical wiring is, the worker is susceptible to cutting the electrical wiring with the wallpaper cutting knife or blade. Again, this situation presents a substantial shock hazard.
While cover plates are known for use in painting, no such similar cover plates have been provided that fulfill the specific requirements of applying wallpaper. Specifically, no cover plates currently used for painting can adequately serve as a template for cutting wallpaper. Accordingly, there is a need for a combination shield and template for covering electrical junction boxes during the application of wallpaper to a wall which also serves as a template for cutting the wallpaper after the wallpaper is attached to the wall.